Thailand to upgrade fleet, chooses Chinese to provide three submarines

[brucegoniners]

Uh submarines? does this country need with submarines?

They would more need heaters in Bangkok than submarines.

Edited June 26, 2015 by brucegoniners

[Pib]

Since the Gulf of Thailand has a 58 meters mean depth and max depth of 85 meters I sure hope they can get the subs fully submerged. But with the subs Thailand will be able to secure the Gulf of Thailand...secure it from what I don't have a clue.

[gchurch259]

How deep is the Gulf of Thailand ? What in the Hell do they need with a sub ? They have a hard time with a routine engine run=up on an F-16 !! There goes our VAT Tax !!

[rockyysdt]

"Chinese submarines .......... able to stay underwater longer."

No doubt. How good are they at re-surfacing?

Although weaponry and endurance important, the most critical factor is detectably.

If the enemy can track you it's all over.

[Ricardo]

Perhaps they were offered a three-for-the-price-of-two deal ?

Either way, not needed or wanted, IMO.

Unless Thailand expects some unnamed world-power to want to start building fake-islands, and claiming mineral-rights, in the Gulf of Siam ?

I only wish my homeland hadn't decided, several years ago, to renew its own fleet of four nuclear-missile subs, thus missing an opportunity to set a good example by stepping back from owning nuclear-weapons.

But hey, sometimes the World falls short of our hopes.

[h90]

Well they did not stand idle for the coup for nothing.....

No. Or do you think China would complain for lack of democracy?

[halloween]

I just wonder who the crews are going to be,will they put lady boys in them.

Whatever floats your boat.

[h90]

Oh com on They think that Chinese submarines are better than German Subs Not in a long shot Better Technologies? Give me a break

The Chinese have better Tea money

I am sure the Chinese Subs are much cheaper than the refurbished German one.

And as the German ones are already very old it is more than possible that the Chinese one are exactly the same, copied German one.

[phoenixdoglover]

$1.1 billion is a big pie.

[Halion]

China and Thailand in a joint project to provide submarines to a nation whose coastline is rather shallow. Sound more like a joint opportunity for kickbacks. However , from information posted in an earlier article it appears that Thailand has had for the past 50 years an naval submariner division near Chonburi, so I assume that fully trained personnel will be readily available. Nah.

[h90]

"Chinese submarines .......... able to stay underwater longer."

No doubt. How good are they at re-surfacing?

Although weaponry and endurance important, the most critical factor is detectably.

If the enemy can track you it's all over.

It depends on what you want to use them for: For hunting illegal traffic, fishing etc even the most noisy one will be good enough, but it should be long time invisible.

If you fight against Cambodia, I doubt they are good in detecting subs. If fighting against China, USA or Russia it wouldn't matter as well, so detectable would matter only against maybe Malaysia which isn't as bad as Cambodia and not as good as USA.

[Kerryd]

The difference for Thailand, or more properly, the deal breaker for Thailand will be which nation will accept chicken/rice as part (or all) of the payment. Thailand has stockpiles of surplus rice rotting away in warehouses. China has billions of mouths to feed. A hungry population is a restive one and China doesn't want even the hint of any kind of uprising to come out.

As for "Sputnik News" - it appears to be a pro-Russian, anti-American (no surprise there) quasi-military news publication that started up in Nov 2014. It looks to be along the lines of Janes, though with a heavy anti-US/anti-"West" bias in it's articles, cartoons and polls. For example, the latest poll question is:

McCain calls not arming Ukraine the most 'shameful chapter' in the US history. What do you think is the most disgraceful event in America's past?
a.) The invasion of Iraq

b.) Using chemical weapons in Vietnam

c.) Dropping atomic bombs on Japan

d.) I agree with McCain

e.) None of the above

(The results so far are C, A, B, E and D)

Like Faux News, Sputnik News is not a source I will use anytime in the near future.

[norbra]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

So where do you live which mercenary thugs are a problem? Just the other day you said you lived in QLD?

Short term memory loss again? I WORK for 6 months of the year in Qld, I LIVE in Thailand. Much of this situation is brought about by changes in the Oz pension regulations where residence is required for the last 2 years before claiming the OAP. By working 6 months, I become a tax resident, which makes it hard to dispute my residence status even if I am abroad much of the year. The money is nice, too, even if much less than I earned before becoming incapacitated.

No, mercenary thugs are not a problem on Samui TYVM.

I too was a tax paying Aussie but the dept of humanresources looked at me as a returning citizen,as such if you stay uninterupted for 2 years you can have OAP with portability.

[andy85]

These subs no doubt come standard with the kind of hacking back doors found in products from other Chinese companies like Huawei

[Ulic]

Everybody needs there toys, and as they say, the only difference between men and boys

is the price of there toys.

[evadgib]

...the boatloads of II's would look as if they're heading for international waters even without an engine!

[rockyysdt]

It depends on what you want to use them for: For hunting illegal traffic, fishing etc even the most noisy one will be good enough, but it should be long time invisible.

If you fight against Cambodia, I doubt they are good in detecting subs. If fighting against China, USA or Russia it wouldn't matter as well, so detectable would matter only against maybe Malaysia which isn't as bad as Cambodia and not as good as USA.

I guess it comes down to the deal.

If you can get stealth for the same price buy.

Tender transparency critical.

[mmh8]

Can't wait for the red faces when its discocvered - thailand buys 3 submarines with no propulsion system -

[chainarong]

Don't for get to change the calibre of the ordinance at your munitions factory at Nakon Sawan, it isn't NATO calbre.

[djlest]

good value for money those Chinese submarines - They look like submarines, smell like submarines and will be guaranteed to rust or sink in less than 12 months. But as long as they look good who cares about fake submarines.

[wabothai]

So Thailand needs submarines, beats me.

Oh, the generals want some new toys and order them before a civilian government says no way.

Arrogance of the junta.

[ikke]

Lucky they have the Andaman sea as the gulf of Siam is to shallow for submarines my guess.

"The Gulf of Thailand is relatively shallow: its mean depth is 58 metres (190 ft) and the maximum depth is only 85 metres (279 ft"

[eliotness]

Perhaps they were offered a three-for-the-price-of-two deal ?

Either way, not needed or wanted, IMO.

Unless Thailand expects some unnamed world-power to want to start building fake-islands, and claiming mineral-rights, in the Gulf of Siam ?

I only wish my homeland hadn't decided, several years ago, to renew its own fleet of four nuclear-missile subs, thus missing an opportunity to set a good example by stepping back from owning nuclear-weapons.

But hey, sometimes the World falls short of our hopes.

The British government hasn't yet firmly placed the order for the Trident replacements and certainly BAE Systems hasn't started building them as they are still finishing off the last of the new nuclear hunter/killers.

Who do you think Britain would be setting an example to by stepping back from nuclear weapons - Putin's Russia, Iran, Israel, N. Korea - sorry old chap, but I don't buy in to your hopes of a peaceful world.

Actually German subs are still the best for coastal patrols and are nearly silent, but I guess they need really good maintenance by highly qualified technical personnel.

[rebelplatoon]

Handy, once we're part of China in the very near future it's mix and match.

Funny when the Dutch wanted to help with the flooding problem they hired the Chinese. See how that works. It's also the Dutch that built one of the best submarines to date in this class. See?

[bangon04]

I'll give them 2 years before they sink all three of the.

Don't be such a cynic.

Of course they only need one to actually work - the others will be for spare parts.....

One will be on show at Satthathip theme park base for the public to enjoy...

[MZurf]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

Targets of opportunity for who? Do you see foreign war ships posing a threat to ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners etc down in the salacious....uh, sorry, salubrious coastal areas?

[a99az]

Lets hope they are better than the tablets!!

[SteveB2]

Why oh why oh why does Thailand need 3 submarines? I just don't get it!

Maybe there really are things in this world that we not supposed to understand? ... and that only beer has the answer

I just can not find any historical evidence or future perceived military threat where such a military weapon system could ever be of use to the LOS.

The only current threat where a submarine would be of proven use(though a massive overkill) would be in covert sinking of Rohingya Migrant boats. Surely not?

[losgrad]

Lets hope they are better than the tablets!!

Yes, tablets, railroad, submarines and .... is there a trend here?

[gyrosman]

Like shopping at Wal-Mart for a nuclear submarine.